Pill case assembly and pill dispenser with pill case assembly

ABSTRACT

A pill case assembly for holding a number of pills includes a case body and a shake member. The case body receives the number of pills. The shake member is located beneath the case body and movable to shake the case body, for dispersing the number of pills.

FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to pill dispensers, and particularly to a pill dispenser with a pill case assembly.

BACKGROUND

In pill dispensers, pills are dispensed from a pill case one by one through an automatic arm with a nozzle. However, two or more pills may be stuck together, which may cause taking a wrong number of pills from the pill case.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first embodiment of a pill dispenser.

FIG. 2 is a partially assembled view of the pill dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a case body and a shake member of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the pill dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of a pill dispenser.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a case body and a shake member of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a partially assembled view of the pill dispenser of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show one embodiment of a pill dispenser. The pill dispenser (shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) includes a bottom base 10, a rotating tray 20 rotatably engaged with the bottom base 10, a cover member 30 releasably engaged with the bottom base 10, and a pill case assembly 45 (shown in FIG. 3) secured to the rotating tray 20.

A positioning post 11 can be located on a bottom portion of the bottom base 10, for engaging with the rotating tray 20. The rotating tray 20 can define a through hole 21 in a substantially middle portion thereof. The rotating tray 20 can include a base board 23 and a plurality of clipping tongues 22 located on the base board 23. In one embodiment, the base board 23 can be substantially circular, and the plurality of clipping tongues 22 can be arranged radially around the through hole 21. A pill case 23 can be located between two adjacent clipping tongues 22.

The pill case assembly 45 can include a case body 40 and a shake member 13 engaged with the case body 40. The shake member 13 can be located on the bottom base 10 and can include a motor 12 and a cam 14. The motor 12 can be connected to the cam 14 and can rotate the cam 14. The case body 40 can be filled with a plurality of pills 70 (shown in FIG. 4), and a bottom portion 41 can be formed in a bottom of the case body 40. A pill picking arm 31 can be secured to the cover member 30 and rotatable relative to the cover member 30 to pick one pill 70 at a time from the case body 40.

FIGS. 2-4 show that in assembly, the motor 12 and the cam 14 are secured to the bottom base 10. The positioning post 11 extends through the through hole 21. The rotating tray 20 and the bottom base 10 are secured to each other by interference fit, such that the rotating tray 20 is rotatable along with the positioning post 11. The cover member 30 is secured to the bottom base 10 and covers the bottom base 10.

In use, after a predetermined time set by the pill dispenser, the rotating tray 20 can be rotated relative to the bottom base 10, to locate the case body 40 above the cam 14. The motor 12 can rotate the cam 14. The cam 14 can resist the bottom portion 41 to deform the bottom portion 41, such that the plurality of pills 70 (shown in FIG. 7) can be dispersed to allow the pill picking 31 to pick up the plurality of pills 70 one at a time.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of a pill dispenser. The pill dispenser of the second embodiment is substantially similar to the pill dispenser of the first embodiment, except that a pill case assembly 55 (shown in FIG. 6).

FIGS. 5-6 show that the pill case assembly 55 includes a case body 50 and a shake member 60 engaged with the case body 50. The shake member 60 can include a base piece 61 and a plurality of inserting pieces 62 extending upward from the base piece 61. The inserting pieces 62 are substantially parallel to each other. The case body 50 is filled with a plurality of pills 70 (shown in FIG. 4) and includes a bottom portion 51. The bottom portion 51 defines a plurality of slits 511. The plurality of slits 51 is arranged corresponding to the plurality of inserting pieces 62. A pill picking arm 31 is secured to the cover member 40 and rotatable relative to the cover member 40 to pick one of the plurality of pills 70 from the case body 40 at a time.

FIG. 7 shows that in assembly, the shake member 60 is installed on the bottom base 10. The positioning post 11 extends through the through hole 21. The rotating tray 20 and the bottom base 10 are secured to each other by interference fit, such that the rotating tray 20 is rotatable along with the positioning post 11. The cover member 30 is secured to the bottom base 10 and covers the bottom base 10.

In use, after a predetermined time set by the pill dispenser, the rotating tray 20 can be rotated relative to the bottom base 10, to locate the case body 50 above the shake member 60. The shake member 60 can be movable relative to the bottom base 10 to insert the plurality of inserting pieces 511 into the case body 50 through corresponding slits 511. The rotating tray 20 can be rotated relative to the bottom base 10, and the case body 40 can be rotated with the rotating tray 20, such that the pills 70 are dispersed to allow the pill picking arm 31 to pick up one of the plurality of pills 70 at a time.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and the arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A pill case assembly, comprising: a case body for holding a plurality of pills; and a shake member, wherein the shake member is driveable to engage the case body to shake the case body, for dispersing the plurality of pills.
 2. The pill case assembly of claim 1, wherein the case body further comprises a bottom portion, and the shake member is rotatable relative to the bottom portion to hit the bottom portion.
 3. The pill case assembly of claim 2, wherein the bottom portion is flexible.
 4. The pill case assembly of claim 2, wherein the shake member further comprises a cam, and the cam is rotatable relative to the bottom portion to deform the bottom portion.
 5. The pill case assembly of claim 4, wherein the shake member further comprises a motor connected to the cam, and the motor rotates the cam.
 6. The pill case assembly of claim 1, wherein the case body further comprises a bottom portion, the bottom portion defines a plurality of slits, the shake member comprises a plurality of inserting pieces, and each of the plurality of inserting pieces are movable to insert into the case body through each of the plurality of slits.
 7. The pill case assembly of claim 6, wherein the plurality of inserting pieces are parallel to each other.
 8. The pill case assembly of claim 6, wherein a size of each of the plurality of is slightly greater than a size of each of the plurality of inserting pieces.
 9. The pill case assembly of claim 6, wherein the plurality of slits are arranged in parallel.
 10. A pill dispenser, comprising: a bottom base; and a pill case assembly, the pill case assembly comprising: a case body rotatably secured to the bottom base and comprising a bottom portion supporting the plurality of pills; and a shake member locating beneath the case body and engaged with the bottom portion, and the shake member is driveable to engage the bottom portion to shake the case body, for dispersing the plurality of pills.
 11. The pill dispenser of claim 10, wherein the bottom portion is flexible.
 12. The pill dispenser of claim 11, wherein the shake member comprises a cam, and the cam is rotatable relative to the bottom portion to deform the bottom portion.
 13. The pill dispenser of claim 12, wherein the shake member further comprises a motor connected to the cam, and the motor rotates the cam.
 14. The pill dispenser of claim 10, wherein the bottom portion defines a plurality of slits, the shake member comprises a plurality of inserting pieces, and each of the plurality of inserting pieces are movable to insert into the case body through each of the plurality of slits.
 15. The pill dispenser of claim 14, wherein the plurality of inserting pieces are parallel to each other.
 16. The pill dispenser of claim 14, wherein a size of each of the plurality of is slightly greater than a size of each of the plurality of inserting pieces.
 17. The pill dispenser of claim 14, wherein the plurality of slits are arranged in parallel.
 18. The pill dispenser of claim 10, further comprising a rotating tray, wherein the rotating tray is rotatably secured to the bottom base, and the case body is engaged with the rotating tray.
 19. The pill dispenser of claim 18, wherein a positioning post is located in the bottom base, the bottom base defines a through hole, and the positioning post is engaged in the through hole. 